10 common myths about pregnancy

New Delhi: Pregnancy is one of the most important events in a woman's life. It is a time when she gets more attention from her near and dear ones, from friends, relatives and colleagues. There seem to be so many dos and don'ts imposed on her by elders and well-wishers. Some do have scientific basis, some do not. There are plenty of myths abound in pregnancy. Some of these myths include some bad advice like predicting the gender of the baby and all. You never know what fact is and what fiction is. Here are some of the most common pregnancy myths you may hear while carrying. Read on and enjoy a good laugh! *You might here that your baby will be born in certain sex because of the way you're carrying or based on your heart rate. This is not so true and no scientific justification has come out till date to support this myth. *It is believed that your baby will be born with a full head of hair if you have heartburn during pregnancy. This is also believed to be a false myth. *Another common belief says more women go into labor during the full moon phase than other times. Facts show that this is absolute rubbish. *Another classic myth says if you crave for salty food you will have a baby boy and Craving sweet foods indicate a girl is on the way. In reality craving is a common thing during pregnancy and it has to do nothing with the gender prediction. *If your nose swells during pregnancy, you are going to have a baby girl. In reality nose swelling can be explained by increased estrogen level, which heightens blood flow to the mucous membrane causing it to expand. *Don't sleep on your back or you'll hurt your baby. It's not true, but both of you will feel better if you sleep on your side. Doctors prefer sleeping on the left side as it increases the blood flow to the uterus and placenta. *It is another classic myth that that if a pregnant woman is carrying high, the baby will be a girl and it will be a boy if she is carrying low. *Another myth says pregnant women should keep away from polished furniture. This is also a false belief that has no valid scientific reasons to clarify. *Walking makes labor go faster. In reality, exercise like walking might make you feel better but there's no activity that's going to bring on labor. *Pregnant women should eat for two. This is also a false myth, carrying a baby requires only 300 extra calories a day. So you need to increase the protein and vitamin intake and that doesn't mean that you should eat for two.